Off the Workbench - John

John has also just completed his latest contribution to the Marian Wars project with these lovely 28mm figures.

These are the English ‘Black Band’ (mercenaries) under Sir Peter Carey plus John's first unit of English pike.

Figures are mostly Wargames Foundry

English Pike

another view....

Halbardiers and Bowmen

and the reverse view!

Final shot of the English pike

more of the Halbardiers and Bowmen

Off the Workbench - Mike W

It's been a while since I put an 'Off the Workbench' post for myself, it's not that I haven't been painting, I've just busy with real life!

Here is a quick summary of my latest output, eclectic as ever...

Firstly,  19 figures for the club's ongoing Marian Wars campaign. 12 pikemen are Wargames Atlantic Conquistadors configured as Scots  there are two Warlord Games ECW pikemen converted / press ganged into use for the same project.

Then finally 5 x GW Empire figures who will also be utilised in the campaign.

Sharp end of the pike block

I have painted most of these figures to have a wool quilted jacket that would offer some protection to the wearer from pike thrusts and sword cuts, apparently common in Scotland and giving a distinctive 'white' look.

Final view of the pikemen

Three GW scoundrels, a musketeer, bowman and someone to lead the Forlorn Hope!

Two more GW figures, and artilleryman and a crossbowmen.

Then the two converted Warlord Games ECW pikemen, the guy on the right has had a buckler shield added and his left arm changed for a Wargames Atlantic pointing arm....

After taking the photos for ths post, I realised that I'd forgotten to add the pike block's banner to the group, so here it is a generic Stewart Banner. (In reality that of John Stewart from about 150 years earlier!)

Next a selection of figures that I an putting together for a 28mm VBCW game.

A Rolls Royce, pressed in to service and 5 Infantryman from a generic British Infantry Regiment. There is also 1 x Firefighter who has joined the fray.

Figures are Wargames Atlantic WW1 British Infantry but the Firefighter is a kit-bash, US Rangers torso and legs from a Warlord Games kit and arms, weapons and head from a Perry's 8th Army kit.

I have yet to figure out a setting / background story for such a game but would envisage the regulars to split support between various faction's forces, whilst the Fire Brigade militia would (in my mind) side with a Worker's militia as elite troops....

Setting is likely to be either London, Liverpool or Glasgow. 

The Rolls Royce is a repurposed diecast model, the 5 x Infantry men it's crew.

Another view of the Infantry men

Final view, showing the Lewis Gunner!

Maybe the the LFB Militia - maybe Liverpool or London Fire Brigades.
Crack militia for the Socialist Workers.

Next are some Sci-Fi figures,  all bar one, Wargames Atlantic. They represent various ground forces, the coloured tabs on uniforms representing Arm of Service. Yellow for Assault Troopers, Red for Mercenary/ Axillaries and Green for the regular Grunts. This is a work in progress so colour assignment may change or be added to! BTW Navy is Blue and Merchant Navy is White.

There are also two figures painted to represent Spectrum forces for a Captain Scarlet game I am toying with....

Two mercenaries and an Assault Trooper on the right.
The central figure carries a 'Blooper' grenade launcher.

Two more mercenaries to the fore and another Assault Trooper on the right.

A Spectrum Infantryman, with Captain Brown accompanying him.

Another view of the Spectrum Infantryman, all other ranks having the same olive drab jacket colour and uniform trim

Close-up of Captain Brown, a figure from an old 1960/70s boardgame.

Friday Night Games - More Marian Wars II

Week two of the game saw the continuation of the previous post's events. Steve was away on holiday so we were down to two players per side for this week.

Top - Dave & Mat's forces move to the left during the game. The village is defended by Steve's forces, commanded by Mike N. in his absence.

Dave's appalling luck with the dice had a significant turn around and he started being able to activate and move his forces, whilst his bad luck seemed to transfer its-self to Rupert, whose forces seemed to struggle to move more than 2-3 foot onto the tabletop.

Rupert's forces appearing on the tabletop and (slowly) to interdict Dave & Mat.

Close-up of a Shot unit

Two units of Trotters

The game develops, with Dave & Mat attempting to form a defensive ring around their thieved cattle 

Mike N's command - officers and trotters

More posturing!

Awaiting the expected attack

Mat's forces reach the outskirts of the village

A Firing line

Rupert's forces close in  on Mat, whilst Mike  has sent some
pikemen to cross the river at a ford in support.

Fighting between Dave & Steve's forces as the game closes

Friday Night Games - More Marian Wars

Friday 29th May saw the first week of Mike W & John's latest Marian Wars campaign using the Pikemen's Lament Rules. Figures were from Mike W & John's own collections.

Mat & Dave commanded the four companies of the forces supporting the claim of the protestant claimant to the throne in favour of Prince John. On Mary's side were Rupert, Steve and Mike N.

The battlefield

The background of the game is that Robert Kerr and his forces had rustled some cattle belonging to his nemisis James Kerr, Robert Kerr's forces are returning home after the raid only to find that James has garrisoned a company of his forces in a village by the only bridge over the river on the tabletop!

Steve's company garrison's the village

The majority of Robert Kerr's forces were (very) slowly moving across the tabletop, with Mat's company sent to conduct a flanking move to draw Steve's defending units from the village.

The massed forces of Robert Kerr and his compatriots,
with their recently looted cattle.

Archers and Shot garrisoning the village.

Unexpectedly for Mat, Mike N's troops arrived on the tabletop forcing Mat to have to engage these prior to reaching the village. In a series of combats Mat's Cavalry and Gallowglass units were decimated and Mat was himself taken prisoner. However, this was not before Mike N's cavalry unit taking a battering and wavering. To rub salt into Mat's wounds his javelin men were shot out by defenders from the village and Mike N's own units of shot.

Forces of Robert Kerr move forwards.

Mat's forces containing Gallowgas and Javelin men
attempt an out flanking movement on the village.

Meanwhile Dave is slowly moving the main force across the tabletop and has units of horse scouting ahead. Ahead of him he can see Rupert's command entering the table top as well! All to play for in week two, when Mark & Nige are expected to lend additional leadership to Robert Kerr's forces.

More movement from Robert Kerr's forces as they move
to cross the river at the bridge or fords

Dave's forces approaching the village

Mat's forces atacking Mike N's forces.

Close-up of the stolen cattle within Robert Kerr's forces

Dave's command under Eroll McFlynn probing the village

Gun and crew defending the village

Final view of Robert Kerr and his forces moving across the tabletop, albeit slowly.

Friday Night Games: Marian Wars

Unit of John's Tudor Archers

Friday 10th April saw John & Mike W stage the first of their 28mm Marian Wars games at Rupert's establishment.

On the side of Mary Queen of Scots we had forces commanded by Mike N, Steve and Rupert. Whilst the forces of her treacherous brother were commanded by Mark, Dave, Rupert and Nigel.

Another of John's archer units

The game centred around an attack by the Catholic forces on the town of Jedborough, which was defended by the Local militia, plus others.

One of the companies of Jedbrough militia

Rules used were 'Pikeman's Lament' and the figures are from the collections of Mike W & John.

Another company of Militia

Mike W's Scots Horse

Outskirts of Jedborough

Dave's Forlorn Hope defending an enclosure

Militia defending Jedborough

Another view

The Scenario Map